I just went up to MA last week for vacation. Did some sightseeing, and went to dinner at Kowloon. I sat in the booth in the above picture that is closest to the right. The food was alright. Not the best Chinese/Polynesian I ever had. The atmosphere was good, the service staff was very helpful. You have to like the huge A-frame that juts out of the landscape on 1A, and the Tiki on top is massive. The inside was decorated more toward the Orient than Poly-pop. I would recommend if you are ever in the area, but not to make a trip only for that.

I grew up in Reading, MA and the Kowloon was the only Polynesian/Chinese restaurant we'd go to as my mother would only eat one type of "exotic" (to her) food: Kowloon's "boneless fried chicken" (which is just small chunks of chicken in a brown sauce).

My dad would always order one of their flaming Pu-Pu Platters and we just *needed* to sit next to the volcano so I could watch its animated smoke coming out (a rotating piece of tin foil behind a colored-glass window). (I'd get sulky if that table was occupied.)

I still need to make a Kowloon stop every summer when I go back to the Boston area for vacation.

Funnily enough, I've *never* had a cocktail there. (Too young when I went with my folks back in the 70's, and I don't drink if I need to drive.)

Kowloon is an institution, so I'm sure it will last for many more years.

I'm deeply fond of this place. Though we never went there on family trips to Boston down from Maine, since my mom was serious about Chinese restaurants and loved china town so much. I never went until just a couple of years ago when my dad and I went after I fetched him from the train. He died last year, and last Saturday I stopped in with my wife and girls and we sat across from the booth Dad and I shared. When I'd been there with my pops an old lady said to me, "I'm glad to see you here with your father, because we don't get to keep them forever." Remembering that as I drank a strong and tart Zombie I was moved to compose a poem in memory of the old man.

Very sorry to hear of losing your Dad, thanks for sharing a great story. My parents & I used to frequent the Nan King restaurant in Hudson NH. The silent, empty seat where a loved relative once sat can speak very loud in many ways...some good, some tough. Enjoy your fond memories and poem.

If anybody in the Boston area wants to meet up and go to Kowloon next Thurs (9/25), please PM me. I live in Southern California, but am in Boston for the week, don't know when I'll be back and would love to meet up with any local TCer tikiphiles.

Bummed I missed that post Ryan! I just went to Kowloon for the first time tonight and after being seated in the Thai Room (non-descript room) I asked to be moved to the Volcano Room and had a Fog Cutter and a tart Mai-Tai with some sesame tofu and fried rice. Going to try and make it out a bit more, but the hospitality was great!

One thing that bummed me out is that a few other friends went that night, and though we all ordered different drinks they all came in the same mugs, while in the menu they are all in different mugs.